Metz's first experience in the Champions League Final 4 three seasons ago was frustrating.

With a prestigious squad (Béatrice Edwige, Laura Glauser, Laura Flippes, Manon Houette, Grâce Zaadi, Méline Nocandy, Orlane Kanor), Emmanuel Mayonnade's players had missed the first fifteen minutes against Rostov, and lost a small goal.

Three seasons later, Zaadi was still present, as were Nocandy and Kanor, but the Messines left the Budapest Dome on Saturday without too many regrets, beaten by six goals (33-27), falling for 60 minutes on goalkeeper Katrine Lunde , who is 42 years old, continues his exceptional performances (16 saves).

"Lunde, she beats us on her own, she kills the match on her own. And we, behind, we can't lock everything so that our goalkeepers make more saves", summed up Méline Nocandy very well, who will leave his training club for Paris 92, at the end of the match for third place on Sunday against the Danes of Esbjerg.

The Messines managed in the first period to recover from a first gap of five goals in favor of Kristiansand (13-8), to return in front just before the break on a goal from left winger Laura Kanor (15-14) .

The return to Messin was made possible by the fine entry of Mélanie Halter, who released the ball from +6 on Nora Mork, sounding the revolt.

Marketa Jerabkova (Kristiansand) attacking Messines Grace Zaadi and Sarah Bouktit in Budapest, June 4, 2022 Ferenc Isza AFP

A third place to grow

"If I caricatured a little, I would say that the entry of Mélanie allows us to stabilize the gap and to come back, and her shot from less well in the second half allows the opponent to recreate the gap. We should have been constant for an hour," notes Metz coach Emmanuel Mayonnade.

Because after having mastered the return from the locker room, the Messines again came up against Lunde, and the surprise effect of Halter on the Norwegian attack completely evaporated.

Unlike the first period, Kristiansand did not completely squander their seven-goal lead, and were able to control the end of the game.

Messina Orlane Kanor attacking the Kristiansand Kristiansan Vipers in Budapest, June 4, 2022 Ferenc Isza AFP

"In their game, we knew everything they were going to do," plague Nocandy, while the Messines had beaten Kristiansand twice in the group stage matches, in Moselle and Norway.

Czech left-back Marketa Jerabkova was unplayable in attack, with 12 goals, all in play, and an insolent 75% success.

"We are missing a lot of little things to make the switch. We have an air pocket in the middle of the second half which is very clearly hurting our heads. We have never found the resources to come back, so much the opponent put us in difficulty", adds Mayonnade.

The Dragonnes have about twenty hours to rest and try to get third place, so as not to leave Hungary as in 2019 with two defeats.

"I will have to find the resources in five minutes, explain that in the desire of the structure to progress, we must validate this kind of match for 3rd place", slipped Mayonnade after the meeting.

For the European title, they will follow from the stands of the Dome of Budapest - 14,800 spectators on Saturday - the challenge of Kristiansand against the dream workforce of Györ (Stine Oftedal, Estelle Nze Minko, Silje Solberg, Laura Glauser), for Amandine Leynaud's farewell to handball, after a controlled success against Esbjerg (32-27) from the Hungarian club.

© 2022 AFP